Exhaust gas burning attachment for all internal combustion engines



May 17, 1932- HwH. M DONALD EXHAUST GAS BURNING ATTACHMENT FOR ALL INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed July 2, 1928 Muir/ran Ml-LMCDQNALD BY A TTOENEY 3 y 3 'H. H. M DONALD 1,858,637 EXHAUST GAS BURNING ATTACHMENT FOR ALL iNTERNA COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed July 2, 1928 ZSheets-Shet 2 ATTOE/YEV Patented May 17, 1932 "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY H. EODOHALD, ST. LOUIS, 'HISSOUBI, ASSIGNOB OI ONE-THIRD TO T. C-

' BRANDLE, 01' ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI EXHAUST GAS BURNING ATTACHMENT FOR ALL INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Application filed July 2, 1928. Serial No. 290,003.

This invention relates generally to attachments for internal combustion engines, and more specifically to an improved device constructed and arranged for assoclation w th an internal combustlon engine, which device ircludes a housing adapted to receive therein the products of combustion exhausted from the internal combustion engine, for the purpose of causing the harmful carbon monoxide gas contained in said products of combustion to be consumed by burning same in said hous- Io overcome the consequences referred to above, resulting from exhausting deadly car ll hon monoxide from internal combustion engines into the atmosphere, I have produced the device disclosed herein which, briefly stated, comprises a housing-the interior of which is arranged in communication with the exhaust conductor of the associated internal combustion en 'ne, so that the products of I combustion ex austed from said internal combustion engine will be discharged into and through said housing. Said housing has arranged therein means whereby the carbon monoxide, which is an unburned gas forming part of the exhausted products of combustion, may be ignited and burned within the housing. It has been found that the gas at resulting from the combustion of the carbon monoxide gas is entirely harmless and, hence, all of the serious consequences formerly resulting from'the discharge of carbon monoxide gas into the atmosphere are eliminated.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a View, partly in section and partly in side elevation, showing my improved device, a portion of the housing of the device being broken away to conserve space.

Fig. 2 is a cross section'on the line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatical view showing the manner in which the ignition means of my improved device is connected electrically to one of the spark plugs of the associated internal combustion engine.

In the drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of my invention, A designates the exhaust conductor of an internal combustion engine, such as that shown diagrammatical ly and in fragmentary form in Fig. 4, wherein said internal combustion engine is designated by the reference character B. The exhaust conductor A is arranged in communication with the interiors of the cylinders of the internal combustion engine in the usual and well known manner, so that the products of combustion resulting from the burning of the fuel within said cylinders will pass from said cylinders through said exhaust conductors A.

C designates m improved device which includes a housing and an outer intermediate shell 1 provided with end members 2 at the opposite ends thereof, said members 2 having inwardly extended annular flanges 3; and .4 designates sleeves which surround the shell 1 at opposite ends thereof, the outer end portions of said sleeves being interposed between the extreme outer end portions of said shell and the flanges 3 of the end members 2.

Arranged within the housing C is an inner shell 5 of less diameter than the outer shell 1, so that an annular space is provided between the annular wall of the outer shell 1 and the annular wall of the inner shell 5. The inner shell 5 is preferably formed of thicker material than the outer shell, so that same may be better able to withstand the heat (which will be generated within the housmg Fixed to the inner shell 5 at one end thereof is a head 6, said head having a flange portion 6' which extends into the interior of the inner-shell 5 a short distance from the end of said shell, and said flan e and said inner shell being secured together y means of bolts or other suitable fastening devices 7 The head 6 at its approximately longitudinal center is of less diameter than at its opposite ends, as shown clearly in Fig. 1, and the interior of said head is shaped to provide a passageway 8 resembling in shape a Venturi tube. Secured to the head 6 at its outer end is a plate 9 and a plate 10 arranged in contact with each other. The attaching ring 11, which is of approximately the same diameter as the adj acent end of the head, is fixed to the head 6 by suitable fastening devices 12, the marginal edge portions of the plates 9 and 10 being interposed between the end. face of the head 6 and the ring 11, with the fastening devices 12 extending through registering apertures in said ring and said plates, and into apertures in said head. The plate 9 is provided with a plurality of openings 13 formedtherethrough, and the plate 10 is provided with a plurality of openings 14 formed therethough, the openings 14 belng shown in the drawing as slightly larger in diameter than the open ings 13. The plates 9 and 10 are so arranged with respect to each other that the openings 13 and 14 formed therethrough register with each other. The purpose of the openings is to permit the entrance of air into the interior of the housing C of the device, so that com bustion may be maintained therein, the size of said openings being scientifically determined. The plates 9 and 10 are rigidly and permanently fixed in their proper relative positions when the device is applied to an internal combustion engine, hence there is no necessity for said plates to be adjusted after a device has been placed in use.

15 designates a collar, the inner end of which contacts with theplate 10, and said collar extends outwardly from said plate (Fig. 1) The collar 15 preferably comprises an integral part of the ring 1]., said collar being connected to said ring by a plurality of radial arms 16 (Fig. 3). The exhaust conductor A of the internal combustion engine, with which one of my device is associated, is extended into the collar 15 as shown in Fig. 1. 17 designates a set screw, or similar fastening device, by means of which the exhaust conductor A is fixed to said collar 15.

Located at the end of the device opposite that at'which the head 6 is arranged, is a a tail piece 18 extended a slight distance into the end of the inner shell 5 (Fi 1), and being fastened to said inner shell y suitable fastening devices 19. The tail piece 18 gradually diminishes in diameter from the portion thereof which is extended into the'shell 5 to an outer boss 19' which passes through-an opening formed through the adjacent end member 2 of the housing 0. Extended into the boss 19 is a discharge conductor 20 arranged in communication with the interior of the housing C. As clearly shown in Fig. 1, the tail piece 18, which is circular in cross section, is of less diameter than the outer shell 1, hence an annular space is provided between the outer face of the tail piece 18 and the inner face of the shell 1, which space communicates with the annular space between the outer face of the inner shell and the inner face of the shell 1. Arranged within the annular spaces between the inner shell, tail piece, the head and outer shell is a body of asbestos or other suitable heat insulating material '21, being arranged entirely around the elements referred to so that free transmission of heat therefrom to the outer shell is prevented. I

Screwed into a threaded opening formed through the wall of the head 6 is a gas ignition device 22 which preferably takes the form of a spark plug of ordinary and well known construction, said spark plug having the usual terminals 23 spaced apart from each other to provide a spark gap. Said terminals are located within the passage 8 formed in the head 6. Located within the passageway 8 formed throughthe head 6 at a point below the gas ignition device 22,is a bafiie plate 24, preferably in the form of a disc secured to a rod 25 which rod is extended transversely of the passageway 8 and has its opposite ends welded or otherwise secured to theinner face of said passageway 8. A

Screwed into a threaded opening formed through the wall of the head 6 at a point below the gas ignition device 22 (Fig. 1) is a plug 26 provided with an opening 27 extended inwardly into said plug 26 from the inner face thereof. 28 designates a tubular member, one end of which is extended into the opening 27 formed in the plug 26, whereby said tubular member is supported by said plug. The portion of the tubular member 28 at the end opposite that which is extended into the opening formed in the plug 26 is shaped to provide a coil 29, said coil being extended transversely of the passageway 8 formed through the head 6 (Fig. 1). Also, located within the interior of the housing C, at the bottom thereof, is a plurality of blocks of fire clay or similar refractory material 30. The purpose of the coiled tubular member 28 and the blocks of fire clay will be subsequently pointed out herein.

In the use of one of my improved devices in association with an internal combustion engine, the gas ignition device 22, which in the embodiment shown in the drawings, is in the form of a spark plug, is connected elec trically to the spark plugs associated with one of the cylinders of the-internal combus tion engine, as shown in Fig. 4. Ordinarily, a spark plug associated with an internal com: bustion engine, isgrounded directly to the metallic casing ofthe engine and, therefore, as soon as the electrical current has jumped the spark gap of the spark plug to produce a spark, it passes to'ground and is dissipated. In the operation of my improved device, however, I prefer to utilize the same electrical current, which produces the spark that explodes the combustible charge in one of the cylinders of the internal combustion engine, to produce a spark at the spark gap between the terminals 23 of the spark plug 22, and thus ignite the gas within the housing C of the device' I accomplish this by employinga fitting 31 provided with a screwthreaded-l'eg 31' adapted to be screwed into the screwthreaded spark plug opening 32 of one of the cylinders of the internal combustion engine. The fitting 31 is provided at its upper end with a pair of threaded openings 33 which are arranged at an approximate right angle to each other and communicate with an opening formed through the leg 31' of the fitting 31, the last mentioned opening being in communication with the interior of the associated cylinders of the internal combustion engine. Screwed into the openings 33 at the upper end of the fitting 31 is a pair of spark plugs 34 and 34", each having a single terminal 34, the terminals of both plugs 34 and 34 being spaced apart to provide a spark gap. The spark plug 34 is connected by an electrical conductor 35 to a suitable source of electrical energy, and thespark plug 34 is connected by means of an electrical conductor 36 to the spark plug 22 which constitutes the gas ignition means of my improved device. In view of this arrangement electrical energy will pass through the conductor 35 to the spark lug 34, and said energy will leap the gap etween the terminals 34 of the spark plugs 34 and 34 to produce a spark which will ignite the compressed combustible within the associated engine cylinder. The electrical energy which produces this spark, instead of passing to ground, as heretofore, will pass through the spark plug 34 and through the conductor 36 to the spark plug 22 where a second spark will be produced thereby at the spark gap of said spark lug 22, whereby the gas within the housing 6 of the gas burning device will be ignited. It is obvious, therefore, that each time a spark is produced at the plug with which the spark plug 22 is electrically associated, a spark will likewise be produced at said spark plug 22.

In the operation of my improved device products of combustion exhausted from the internal combustion engine B will pass through the exhaust conductor'A and will be discharged therefrom into the passageway 8 formed through the head 6, whence said products of combustion will pass into the interior of the housing 0' of the device. As has already been explained a spark is periodically produced at the spark plug 22 during the operation of the device and, as the spark occurs, the unburned as in the products of combustion dischargec? into the housing will be ignited by said spark, whereby the'carbon.

monoxide in said products of combustion will be consumed. The function of the baflie plate 24, of course is to deflect the ases entering the housing (5', so that they not pass into the housin in the form of a well defined stream, WhlCh would be more difilcult to igm e.

With respect to the coiled tubular member 28 and the fire clay blocks 30 the function of these elements is to aid in the ignition of the ases within the housing C, this aid being rought about b the fact that said coiled tubular member and said fire clay blocks will become red hot after the device has been in use a relatively short time, and therefore the elements referred to will quickly ignite any of the gas passing through the housing, which is not ignited by the spark plug 22, and will function as the gas ignition means in the event the spark plug 22 fails to operate.

A matter of extreme importance in connection with my invention arises from the fact that the housing 0' of the device disclosed herein functions as and takes the place of the bustion from said internal combustion engine will pass into said housing, ignition means located at the intake end of said housing for igniting unburned gases contained in the products of combustion as same pass from said exhaust conductor into said housin whereby said unburned gases are consume within said housing, an element located in the path of travel ofsaid products of combustion and adapted to be heated to a very high temperature by the burnin of gases within the housing, a plurality 0 blocks of refractory material located within the housing likewise adapted to be heated to a high temperature by ta burning gases within the housing, said heated element and said heated blocks of refractory material being adapted to ignite any unburned gases passing through 

